Nigeria Customs Budgets #1.6billion For Boreholes, #180million For Cleaning
The allocations of the Nigeria Customs Service was put to question at the Senate House on Wednesday. The Customs Service has budgeted #1.6 billion for ‘borehole and other water facilities’, they had #180 million for cleaning while #2 billion was budgeted for retirement incentives.
This followed the presentation of Nigeria Customs Service 2021 budget report by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariffs, Francis Alimikhena from Edo North.
Out of the approved sum, #99.7 billion was voted for personnel cost, #19.5 billion for overhead, and #137.9 billion was approved for capital cost.
In 2021 fiscal year, Customs revenue target was pegged at #1.67 trillion comprising #1.5 trillion for Federation Account and #178 billion for Non-Federation Account.
Details of the budget showed that #2 billion was set aside for retirement incentives for Customs operatives; #3 billion for local travels and transport.
Customs will spend #200 million to maintain its aircraft and #100 million to fuel it.
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Internet access charges got #100 million; maintenance of vehicles got #250 million; while #400 million will be spent to fuel the vehicles — this is aside from the #5 billion already earmarked for motor vehicle advances.
Under capital expenditure, Nigeria Customs Service voted #1.6 billion for borehole and other water facilities; #15.9 billion for motor vehicles; #87 million for photocopiers and #81 million for shredding machines.
Before the budget was passes however, some senators find fault with the fiscal document, especially expenditure.
A Senator from Ebonyi, Sam Egwu asked why Customs Service is spending #2 billion as welfare packages for retiring officers, while they have retirement benefits.
Another Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah, who also raised the issue of #180 million for cleaning and fumigation, asked what the Customs Service is cleaning and fumigating to have budgeted such a huge sum.
Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi from Niger expressed concern that Customs is spending huge sums on non-essential items while officers are being attacked at the borders.
On his part, the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, who presided over the plenary, rebuked the committee chairman for failing in his oversight function.
He urged the committee to upscale its oversight of the agency and ensure that the budget is implemented within the fiscal year.
